More than a quarter million people attended a massive prayer rally at the Western Wall Wednesday to beg their Heavenly Father to have mercy and annul the expulsion decree. |
oops, somehow the text "the Western Wall Wednesday to beg their Heavenly Father to have mercy and annul the expulsion decree." snuck into the post - please remove!
"Explulsion", eh?
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1123986008489
Halutz: 5,000 activists infiltrated Gaza
Just hours before Israel was set to go ahead with the much-anticipated Gaza withdrawal, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.Gen. Dan Halutz calmly addressed hundreds of police and army officers Sunday afternoon, stressing that, "We're not going out to battle; There's no battle here and no war."
Halutz was speaking at the Negev kibbutz of Ein Hashlosha, not far from the Gaza Strip to an audience of about 150 battalion and brigade commanders and their police counterparts, as well as reporters and TV cameras.
At midnight Sunday night, police and army forces are shutting down the Gaza Strip completely, rendering presence in the area illegal for all Israelis. Operation "Lend a Hand" is set to be launched on Monday morning, when disengagement forces will go door to door throughout settlements slated for evacuation informing families that they have two days to leave, and offering help to pack and move.
In his speech, Halutz highlighted the problems that might arise in the operation and gave guidelines for their resolution. "You'll be required to look settlers in the eyes, feel their pain, shed a tear and show them you love them," he told the commanders.
"On Tuesday, at the end of the operation, you'll be required to transfer to a different state of mind from a state of sensitivity to one of determination."
Halutz spoke in a subdued tone to a crowd gathered under a shaded tent between two eucalyptus trees. His talk was held by the IDF Spokesperson's Office, and was open to the media.
"I expect commanders to lead the forces, to be at their forefront, to display your leadership qualities and to be there to douse water under the hot southern sun.
"Success is the implementation of this mission without casualties," Halutz said.
According to IDF estimates, at least 5,000 right-wing activists have succeeded in infiltrating into Gush Katif in recent weeks, hoping to block the disengagement.
At this point the infiltrators - most of whom are teenagers - do not pose a threat, Halutz said. He also noted that leaders of the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha) were expected to keep them under control and discourage confrontations between the activists and disengagement forces.
When asked about settlers' plans to shut soldiers out of their communities on Monday when forces come by to issue evacuation order and offer relocation help, Halutz responded: "We are offering our hand, not forcing it. Those who want to take our hand and receive our assistance are welcome to do so."
He once again stressed that the order in which the settlements will be evacuated will be decided on Tuesday night and not any sooner, and four West Bank settlements would not be evacuated until the Gaza withdrawal was complete. The evaluation of certain settlements as "problematic" would not influence the sequence of their evacuation, Halutz noted, but estimated that 50 percent of settlers would leave voluntarily by the deadline date of August 17. After August 17, settlers will be forcefully removed and will get a cut in their compensation.
As for Palestinian violence during the withdrawal, Halutz said: "We hope that the Palestinian Authority will carry out what they have promised." Palestinian forces were expected to complete deployment around the strip by Monday.
Recent statements by Hamas declaring attacks against Israel would continue even after withdrawal are nothing new, Halutz said, noting that such threats have been voiced nearly daily over past year.
Referring to the opinions and emotions of the soldiers themselves, Halutz said, "It is no secret that in the past month a deep public disagreement has arisen.
"This disagreement has entered the IDF. It threatened and still threatens to create fractures in our hierarchy. The army is the face of the nation. We will have to fix some fractures that opened. Not to hide them, but to fix them," he emphasized.
Those who give up land for peace shall ultimately have neither.
I can't believe this is even happening. It's like a bad dream.
It could also be the most outstanding example of political suicide ever. Sharon's support is, where? What am I missing? How could he even propose this and not be hauled away in a straitjacket?
To Israelis: Bush will like you even more when you start selling bullets to the Palestinians.
FNC showing pictures, finally...
Haaretz News Flashes
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html
23:37 Two IDF soldiers caught looting evacuated house in Gaza Strip settlement (Haaretz)
23:29 IDF, settlers clash in northern W. Bank; officer evacuated with broken hand (Haaretz)
23:20 Explosions near Ganei Tal believed to be mortar shells (Haaretz)
23:14 Two large explosions heard near Gush Katif settlement of Ganei Tal (Haaretz)
23:00 Jerusalem district commander allows Yesha to hold disputed rally (Israel Radio)
22:46 Thousands from opposition groups block Cairo streets to protest Mubarak (Reuters)
22:21 Shots fired at IDF troops near West Bank village of Shweike; no injuries reported (Itim)
22:14 Kfar Yam resident announces establishment of Jewish Authority in Gaza (Israel Radio)
21:41 Bag with mobile phone, wires, anti-pullout material found in J`lem bus stop (Haaretz)
21:29 Deputy PM Ehud Olmert: Netanyahu is not fit to be prime minister (Channel 1)
21:08 Police: Yesha protest near PM`s office possible only if traffic is not disrupted (Haaretz)
21:02 Syria and Lebanon discuss implementing bilateral energy agreement (DPA)
20:52 Sharon says pullout will not be delayed, `even by one day` (Israel Radio)
20:31 Anti-pullout legal forum to High Court: Cancel ban on entry into Gaza (Israel Radio)
20:10 Police refuse to authorize rally pullout foes planning outside PM`s office (Army Radio)
20:05 PM meets IDF Chief, Mofaz, Herzog, police chief for pullout consultations (Haaretz)
18:45 Iran calls for talks with EU on uranium enrichment, says won`t stop conversion (AP)
18:25 PM meets with team of 5 rabbis calling for the cancellation of pullout (Israel Radio)
17:55 Israel cuts off bus service to Gush Katif for first time in decades (AP)
Kinda wierd that this is launched on the 9th of Av, no?
Holding my breath over this. Prayers for all of Israel.
Should be titled: "Giving in to terrorism."
CNN says forced withdrawal begins on Wednesday. FOX reporter says one Israli has already torched his house and there are fears that many will commit suicide.
Destroy all items, give the Palestinians the land, let millions move in and then after the first terrorist from Gaza kills an Israeli Jew, drop the big one on them.
Thank you, Adam. I've bookmarked this thread.
BUMP
This is the week in history when the 1st and 2nd Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed by the vicious enemies of the one and only God and the enemies of those who recognize him and live a godly life.
The eviction of Jews by Jews in Gaza and the West Bank is part of the same tragic history. If these events unfold as they seem to be, this week will still be mourned thousands of years from now, as well.
How profoundly tragic for the Jewish soldiers who have been given orders to be part of this horrendous, historical mistake. Not even Sharon himself can even give a reationalization for this so-called "disengagement."
The Palestinian Arabs already were given what they asked for under Oslo. The Palestinian Jews did NOT get an end to what they asked for in return - an end to hate and terrorism.
Why would any sane government continue to make the same exact type of mistakes now, only moreso?
As was known by all around the world until the recent lies of revisionists, Palestine is the eternal homeland of the Jewish people.
Gaza settler establishes 'Jewish Authority' in the Strip
By David Ratner, Haaretz Correspondent
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/612420.html
Aryeh Yitzhaki, a resident of the Gaza settlement of Kfar Yam, announced the establishment of a Jewish Authority in the Strip on Sunday.
"According to international law, when an occupying force leaves territory that it held, local residents become sovereign rulers of that territory," Yitzhaki declared at a press conference. He said that rather than be evacuated, the settlers should recognized as sovereign rulers of the place, as an independent entity separate from Israel.
Some 15 supporters of the initiative, wearing shirts emblazoned with the words "The Jewish Authority" cheered Yitzhaki's announcement.
Yitzhaki said many residents of the Gush Katif settlement bloc support his initiative, and that elections in the Authority would be held in three weeks.
Yitzhaki, who recently established the Gaza Region Absorption Authority, which encourages the emigration of Israelis to the Strip, declared that, "in honor of Israel disengaging from Gush Katif," the Authority will hold democratic elections within 21 days. Authority supporters called on the Israeli government to dispatch weapons and supplies, and requested that various international institutions recognize the Authority.
Among those showing their support for Yitzhaki was Women in Green leader Nadia Matar, who led the civil disobedience during assassinated prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's tenure.
Yitzhaki, a military historian, told his supporters that there are various opposition plans, but refused to disclose his "tactical secrets."
Yitzhaki's proposal was met with angry responses, mainly from leaders of the adjacent Shirat Hayam settlement, who claim that his initiative adversely affects the opposition campaign that they plan to wage.
Final preparations were made Sunday in Shirat Hayam and Kfar Hayam ahead of the military closure of the Gush Katif settlement bloc, despite the fact that Sunday, Tisha B'Av, was a fast day.
The final preparations sharpened the question regarding leadership and division of power between the two settlements and the various groups in Shirat Hayam.
At a press conference held by the Shirat Hayam secretary and spokesperson, the two declared that the settlement plans a passive opposition to evacuation, but will not cooperate with those carrying out the evacuation. They stressed that Shirat Hayam's preparations are separate from those of the eight families that reside in Kfar Hayam. The Shirat Hayam council decided that those responsible for making the decisions would be the original families who moved there four years ago, and that all individuals who moved to tents on the beach as part of the opposition to the disengagement plan would have to accept the decision of the families or leave the site.
A student told his professor he was going to "Palestine" to "fight for freedom, peace and justice,"Orwellian leftist code words that mean "murder Jews."
A Stab In The Heart [Video]
IsraelNationalNews - A Video on Gush Katif [Video]
The Nature Of Bruce ~
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/612421.html
Settlers clash with IDF troops near north W. Bank settlements
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Settlers clashed Sunday night with Israel Defense Forces troops in the northern West Bank after the army attempted to impose a seal on the area surrounding settlements set to be evacuated under the disengagement.
Some two hundred residents of the settlement of Shavei Shomron clashed with the troops and broke down a gate on the road leading to Sa-Nur and Homesh, two out of four settlements set for evacuation.
An Israel Air Force officer was taken to hospital as medics feared he broke his hand.
In wake of the clashes the army left an armored personnel carrier to block the road.